2018 was a year of surgeries for me. I started the year with gallbladder surgery and I ended the year with knee surgery. While I would love to say my surgery days are behind me, the truth is, my knee surgery I had in October was part one of two. The second part is scheduled for April 8th. One of the things I told my self was that when I had surgery again, I wanted to make sure I had a bunch of freezer friendly meals made. This way, my husband has one less thing to think about while he is taking care of everything. I’m a nice wife like that!

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I’m not really one to make New Years resolutions. However, I do like to set goals for myself. One of my 2019 goals was to be better about making things ahead, stocking the freezer and making life easier for me. With a husband that travels for work, a kid in high school that takes 45 minutes (one way) to get to, plus kids in travel sports, never mind the stuff I need to do for myself, I need to embrace making life easier whenever I can.

9 Freezer Friendly Meals

These nine freezer friendly meals are super easy to make and are perfect to stock your freezer with. Be sure to check out the freezer cooking tips below. If you have any other tips, please leave a comment with your tip!

For Christmas, the one thing I really wanted was a cast iron skillet. I’ve wanted one for years. Up until a few months ago, we had a glass cooktop stove. I was told you could not use cast iron on a glass cooktop (so not true, by the way). Anyway, we got new appliances and switched to a gas range and oven. Best decision ever! So, since I finally had my gas range, I just had to ask for a cast iron skillet. My mother in-law got me one! I finally got a chance to use it and I made THE BEST creamy garlic chicken recipe. Best part is, it’s totally Keto friendly!

Instructions

Place your chicken in the hot skillet and cook about 6-7 minutes on each side (may be longer, depending on how thick your chicken is). Remove from the skillet.

Lower the heat and add the garlic to the skillet. Heat for about 30 seconds. Next add the heavy whipping cream, Italian seasoning, and the Asiago, Romano, Parmesan cheese blend. Add your chopped spinach and stir for about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper, as needed.

Add the chicken back into the skillet and allow it to simmer together for few minutes before serving.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can choose the type of chicken you prefer having! I had chicken tenderloins on hand so I used that. Let me tell you, this creamy garlic chicken recipe is the best chicken recipe I’ve ever made. My daughter, who insists she doesn’t like spinach, devoured this dinner! Since we are following the Keto diet, I served this over cauliflower rice for my husband and I.

Creamy Garlic Chicken Keto Macros

When I was figuring out the macros for this recipe, I decided to figure it out for the sauce only. Since I plan on using different types of chicken, I figured that would be easier. I used Carb Manager, my go to app for tracking my macros, to figure this out. As always, be sure to put this recipe in your own tracker with the specific ingredients you use, since different brands have different nutritional information sometimes.

If you are wondering about the Asiago, Romano, Parmesan blend, I get this at Sam’s Club. It tasted amazing in this recipe. I also like to eat it on salad. If you have a Sam’s Club membership, definitely give it a try. However, if you do not have a membership, I have seen something very similar at our local grocery store.

But I’m Not on the Keto Diet

No worries! If you would like to make this recipe, but not have all the fat and calories in the heavy whipping cream, simply sub in half and half! Next time I make this, I plan on having two skillets going. One for my husband and I, and one for the kids. They aren’t doing the Keto diet with us, and to be completely honest, I never imagined they would eat this yesterday!

Other Must Try Keto Recipes

Since we have been doing the Keto diet for a little over three years now, we have quite a few favorite Keto recipes. Some other must try recipes are:

Banana bread or banana muffins are things I make almost weekly. As I’ve said before, I think my kids leave bananas to get ripe just so I will have to make it. They know I hate to waste things. One thing I like to do is read a bunch of different recipes, read the comments and then start coming up with my own recipe by combining some of the ideas from like six or seven other recipes and comments. Sometimes it works out OK and sometimes it doesn’t. Today was one of those days that it worked out perfectly! This banana bundt cake recipe is amazing.

Add the gluten free flour to the mixing bowl and mix it by hand. You want to to be completely mixed together, but don't over mix.

Pour your batter into the greased bundt pan and place in the oven for 65 minutes. You will notice the top browning a bit. That's OK! It tastes amazing! When it is done baking, allow it to cool in the pan before transferring it to your cake stand or a plate.

Recipe Notes

If you prefer to use regular flour over gluten free flour, then use it! The measurements are the same!

In this recipe, as I do with pretty much ALL recipes requiring flour, I used gluten free flour. If you would prefer to make banana bundt cake recipe with regular flour, then by all means, do so! Not only is banana bundt cake recipe super moist, but the hint of cinnamon is perfect. And, believe me, that’s coming from someone that truly hates cinnamon.

I can’t tell you how good my house smelled when this banana bundt cake was baking! The kids were dying to cut into it as I was pulling it out of the oven. Now I chose not to top this banana bundt cake with anything, but you could totally do so, if you wanted. You could go simple with powered sugar or you could make a cream cheese frosting glaze. Whatever you choose to do, this will be a banana bread recipe that you will want to make over and over again!

Other Banana Bread Recipes to Try

Like I’ve said, I’ve made a lot of banana bread/muffin recipes before. A few you must try are:

What is your favorite way to make banana bread? Also, another question…do you put butter on your banana bread? My husband does that. To me it’s gross, but he loves it and has gotten one of my kids liking it that way too. To each their own, I suppose!

One of my favorite soups ever is baked potato soup. However, it’s not Keto friendly and it’s not gluten free. So I don’t eat it anymore. Or so I thought! This weekend, I made a Keto soup that tasted VERY similar to baked potato soup. I’ve said before that the Keto Chorizo Chicken Soup Recipe was my favorite Keto soup. Now, I’m not so sure! This creamy cauliflower andouille soup is Keto approved AND it tastes very much like my old favorite potato soup recipe! Total win-win!

Creamy Cauliflower Andouille Soup

Super delicious recipe for a creamy cauliflower andouille soup that tastes very similar to baked potato soup!

Course
Main Course, Soup

Keyword
cauliflower, keto

Prep Time20minutes

Cook Time30minutes

Total Time50minutes

Servings8People

Calories301kcal

Ingredients

13.5OunceAndouille Smoked Sausage

4SlicesThick Cut Baconchopped

1MediumHead of Cauliflowercut into pieces

1SmallOnionchopped

6CupsChicken Broth

2CupsWater

1 1/2CupBaby Leaf Spinach

1CupHeavy Whipping Cream

Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakesto taste

Instructions

Slice the andouille sausage into halves. Place in a frying pan and cook (or heat up, if fully cooked) until done. Remove from pan.

Add the chopped bacon in the pan. Fry until it is just about done and then add the onion and finish frying the bacon.

Cut the head of cauliflower into small and large pieces. Place in a large stock pot with the cooked sausage, bacon, and onions.

Next add the chicken broth and water to the stock pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the temperature and cover. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes.

Add the baby spinach to the pot and simmer for about another 2 minutes or so. Next add the heavy whipping cream, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to completely mix. Simmer for about another 2 minutes.

Serve with a little shredded cheddar cheese on top (or don't...it's good without it)!!

Recipe Notes

*Macros are NOT calculated with the shredded cheddar cheese.

You guys!!!! I cannot tell you how good this soup is! It smelled amazing while I was cooking it. Not once did I ever think that it would remind me of baked potato soup, but it totally does! If you’re thinking, “eww…cooked cauliflower smells so gross. I don’t think I can eat this”….stop thinking that! It is so good!

Creamy Cauliflower Andouille Soup Tips

I will definitely be making this soup again. Next time I plan on doing the following things:

Adding MORE spinach

Changing up the type of meat in the soup

Adding a little bit of garlic powder

Tips aside, the soup, as is, was so good and tasted great reheated the next day. Be aware that it will separate some in the fridge. Simply stir and it will be just fine!

Keto Macros

As always, be sure to figure out your macros with the specific ingredients that you use. I’m sure there are different brands of andouille sausage at the store. The nutritional information may not be the same for them both. With the ingredients I used, these are the macros:

If you have any questions about the Keto diet, please don’t hesitate to ask. What I would hate for you to do is listen to all that nonsense and inaccurate information that Jillian Michaels is spewing about Keto. She has no clue what she is talking about.

Don’t Forget to Pin it!

My kids are notorious for leaving bananas on the counter so they get too ripe to eat, but are perfect for banana bread. I think…no…I know…they do it on purpose. In fact, just the other day my son asked me when I was planning on making banana bread. The bananas were NOT over-ripe just yet! He was planning ahead! Well, he’s in luck! Today I made a gluten free oatmeal banana cinnamon crunch bread. Not just one layer of crunch, but two yummy layers!

Add half of your gluten free oatmeal banana cinnamon crunch bread mixture to your greased loaf pan. Top with half of the cinnamon crunch topping, making sure to cover the entire area. Add the remaining amount of batter and then top with the other half of the cinnamon crunch topping.

Place in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes. Allow the gluten free banana bread to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.

Recipe Notes

*I used vanilla almond milk, but you can use whatever milk you have on hand.

Oatmeal Banana Cinnamon Crunch Bread: Thumbs up or down?

Doesn’t it look great?!? The second both kids got in the door, they immediately asked for a piece. While I don’t particularly care for cinnamon, this gluten free oatmeal banana cinnamon crunch bread smelled amazing while it was baking! The kids said it was their favorite out of all the different types of banana breads I’ve made! Like I mentioned in the recipe, if you want to make this with regular milk, go ahead! Also, feel free to use regular flour instead of gluten free flour! Don’t forget to scroll all the way down to find my favorite banana bread/muffin recipes!

This structured loaf pan is my favorite! I have this, as well as, a structured mini-muffin pan and a structured muffin pan. They make baking really easy! When I make muffins, it’s super easy to pop those muffins out of the tin. No sticking to the sides if I don’t grease the pan as well as I should have when I use a regular metal pan. You should totally check it out!

Other Banana Bread Recipes You Must Try

Like I said, my kids LOVE banana bread and banana muffins. Over the years, we have tried many different types of banana breads. Here are a few you must try:

The gluten free strawberry banana bread is amazing! I made it for a picnic at the beach we had one summer with my husbands side of the family. Everyone devoured it! Any one of these recipes can be made with regular flour or gluten free flour. Same measurements.

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